Red spider lilies: elegant guardians of life

For over 2 kilometers along the pristine Shimanto River, Nyuta Willow Forest blooms with a sea of higanbana (red spider lilies) in late September. The name of the vibrant flower comes from the fact it blooms during the season of Higan, which is a Buddhist holiday when people in Japan visit their ancestor's graves. Higan in fact means the ""other side of the shore"", which implies the afterlife

Another aspect to the backstory is that people in Japan intentionally planted higanbana around graves so that its poison would prevent mice and moles from ravaging the sacred land. In this way, higanbana has served almost like a protective guardian for ancestors, while also bringing serenity to families who visit

Come enjoy the fiery colors of autumn a little early at Nyuta Willow Forest (located around 2 hours from Kochi City by car)

In spring, the forest becomes a whole different world with a sea of bright yellow canola flowers blooming all around: https://visitkochijapan.com/en/see-and-do/10042